Humboldt County, California, Mobilehome Rent Stabilization, Measure V (November 2016)
| Measure V: Mobile Home Rent Stabilization |
|---|
|
| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 8, 2016 |
| Status: |
 Approved
|
| Topic: |
| Local rent control |
| Related articles |
| Local rent control on the ballot November 8, 2016 ballot measures in California Humboldt County, California ballot measures Local housing on the ballot |
| See also |
| Humboldt County, California |
A mobile home rent control measure was on the ballot for Humboldt County voters in Humboldt County, California, on November 8, 2016. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of adopting an ordinance to regulate pass-through fees, fee spikes, and monthly lot rents for mobile home parks. |
| A no vote was a vote against adopting an ordinance to regulate pass-through fees, fee spikes, and monthly lot rents for mobile home parks. |
Election results
| Measure V | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 30,250 | 54.62% | ||
| No | 25,136 | 45.38% | ||
- Election results from Humbolt County Elections Office
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]
| “ |
Shall an ordinance be adopted to preserve mobile home parks in unincorporated areas of Humboldt County as important sources of affordable housing by: regulating pass-through fees, regulating fee spikes when a home is sold, and regulating monthly lot rents, which would be limited to annual increases pegged to the consumer price index; and shall government administrative costs be offset by a $5 monthly fee charged to mobile home park residents?[2] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Humboldt County Counsel:
| “ |
If approved by a majority of the voters, Measure V would adopt an ordinance to regulate rent increases for spaces in mobile home parks with ten or more spaces in the unincorporated area of Humboldt County. Five types of rent increases are allowed: 1) An annual Consumer Price Index adjustment equal to the percentage increase as of January 30th of each year over that reported for the prior year. The County would calculate the allowable annual increase each year beginning in 2017. The County would post the amount, list it on its website, and mail notice to each mobile home park owner and to an elected tenant representative in each park. The park owner may implement the increase each year by giving the legally required notice, or bank the increase to be added to the rent at a future date by giving notice of the decision to defer the increase. 2) Civil Code section 798.17 exempts from local rent control mobile home park leases to home owners for their personal residence with terms in excess of 12 months and meeting other specified criteria. Upon the expiration of such a lease, the base rent for any future rent increases shall be the rent in effect as of that date. 3) Rent increases allowable upon sale or transfer of a mobile home to a new owner with the home to remain in place in the same space are limited to five percent (5%). No increase would apply if title passes to a parent, sibling, child, niece or nephew of the prior owner or someone who was a lawful, authorized resident of the mobile home. 4) The ordinance presumes that net operating income in the base year provides the park owner with a fair return. The ordinance provides standards for a determination that would allow the park owner to rebut the presumption. The ordinance specifies a detailed process to determine the amount of any fair return adjustment that should be allowed. The park owner, tenants, and their representatives have a right to a hearing before an impartial hearing officer to make that determination. 5) Rent increases for new capital improvements to the park are allowed after consultation with mobile home owners as to the nature and cost of the improvements, with written consent of 50% + 1 of the mobile home owners. Tenants may also request a rent reduction if services provided by the park are reduced. The County may charge up to $5.00 per month administrative fee for each occupied space to pay the County costs of the program. Park owners would collect the fee and remit to the County quarterly. Measure V was placed on the ballot as the result of an initiative petition signed by the requisite number of voters, as certified by the Registrar of Voters, on July 20, 2016. The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors elected to place the measure on the ballot on August 9, 2016. All registered voters in the county will be eligible to vote. The above statement is an impartial analysis of Ordinance or Measure V. If you desire a copy of the ordinance or measure, please call the election official’s office at (707) 445-7481 and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you.[2] |
” |
| —Humboldt County Counsel[1] | ||
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Support
Supporters
The following individuals signed the official argument in favor of the measure:[1]
- Hilary Mosher, chair, Humboldt Mobilehome Owners Coalition
- Richard Marks, recording secretary, Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee
- Helene Rouvier, treasurer, North Coast People's Alliance
- Dana Silvernale, chair, Green Part Humboldt County Council
- Sylvia Shaw, steering committee member, Humboldt Senior Action Coalition
Arguments in favor
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in favor of the measure:[1]
| “ |
We are a cross-section of Humboldt County residents, young and old, landlords and tenants, homeowners and mobilehome owners, urging you to vote “yes” to protect our most vulnerable renters. People who live in mobilehomes generally buy the home but rent the space it sits on. Since it costs many thousands of dollars to move a mobilehome, their owners are “captive” renters. They are chained to the land by their homes, often their only asset, purchased after a lifetime of hard work. They cannot move elsewhere, as other tenants do if rents soar. To make ends meet, some have given up “frills” like owning a car or having a pet. Others scrimp on utilities and medical care to endure repeated rent increases. As the moms and pops who built our mobilehome parks age out, predatory, outof-town corporate investors have been taking over. They have free rein to raise rents and impose other fees. These higher costs siphon money out of Humboldt. Nearly 100 California communities already regulate mobilehome rents. This measure will protect upstanding mobilehome park owners by guaranteeing them a fair return. It will protect park residents by limiting rent increases to once a year, tied to the Consumer Price Index, and by setting rules on how fees can be imposed. It will protect taxpayers by establishing a mobilehome owner’s fee to pay county government for administration and enforcement work. Our supporters include senior advocates, because mobilehomes are a refuge where seniors on fixed incomes can age in place with dignity; housing advocates, because mobilehomes provide affordable, medium-density housing with no government subsidy; the North Coast People’s Alliance, which grew out of the Sanders’ campaign, because this measure improves social justice locally; and taxpayers, because this measure provides funds for local government. Please join us in voting “yes!”[2] |
” |
Opposition
Opponents
The following individuals signed the official argument against the measure:[1]
- Julie Denise, community manager
- James Holder, McKinleyville resident
- James Buttonow, Arcata resident
- Vern McGaughey, park owner
- William Blake, park resident
Arguments against
Official argument
The following official argument was submitted in opposition to the measure:[1]
| “ |
Measure V is a rent control initiative backed by a small group of mobilehome park residents who want their rents regulated in perpetuity by the government. This new rent control bureaucracy would be subsidized by all Humboldt County taxpayers. We respectfully ask you to vote NO on Measure V for these compelling reasons: RENT CONTROL IS UNNECESSARY: Scores of individuals and families from all socioeconomic backgrounds have chosen to live in a Humboldt County mobilehome park, where manufactured home prices are much lower than conventional home prices. Rents in these communities are very reasonable, averaging less than $435 per month. RENT CONTROL IS TOO COSTLY: The administration fees Measure V seeks to impose will not cover the astronomical costs associated with rent control. Rent control programs often result in years of expensive litigation. A jury recently found the City of Carson’s rent control ordinance unconstitutionally applied and ordered taxpayers to pay a staggering $3.3 million judgement. RENT CONTROL HARMS THE COMMUNITY: California cities and counties with rent control have spent tens of millions of taxpayer dollars administering unnecessary rent control bureaucracies. Rent control takes scarce public resources away from law enforcement, fire protection, and other vital local government services. RENT CONTROL IS UNFAIR: Unlike most government assistance programs, rent control is not based on need, income or any other form of qualification. Under Measure V, mobilehome park residents -- regardless of their financial means – will automatically be entitled to below-market, taxpayer-subsidized rents. McMAC REJECTED RENT CONTROL: The McKinleyville Municipal Advisory Committee carefully examined rent control and unanimously voted against recommending its adoption by the Board of Supervisors. Like 447 other municipalities in the state, Humboldt County operates fairly and responsibly without rent control. Vote NO on Measure V[2] |
” |
Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a successful initiative petition campaign.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Humboldt County Local rent control. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
 |
State of California Sacramento (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
